ياO صارِماًsharp sword أَنِفَdisdained الثَواءَlingering بِغِمدِهِin its sheath
يا صارِماً أَنِفَ الثَواءَ بِغِمدِهِ
وَأَبىand refused القَرارَrepose أَلاare you not تَزالُremain صَقيلاpolished
وَأَبى القَرارَ أَلا تَزالُ صَقيلا
O sharp sword that scorned to linger in its sheath,
O you who sheathe the sharp sword in its scabbard
And refused repose—are you not still polished?
Yet refuse that it should ever be unburnished
فَالبيضُfor bright swords تَصدَأُrust فيin الجُفونِthe scabbards إِذاwhen ثَوَتthey linger
فَالبيضُ تَصدَأُ في الجُفونِ إِذا ثَوَت
وَالماءُand water يَأسُنُgrows foul إِنif أَقامَit stands طَويلاa long time
وَالماءُ يَأسُنُ إِن أَقامَ طَويلا
For bright swords rust in their scabbards when they linger,
For white rust gathers on lids that close on tears
And water grows foul if it stands too long.
And standing water stagnates if left too long
أَهلاًwelcome بِمَولايَto my lord الرَئيسِthe president وَلَيسَand it is not مِنof
أَهلاً بِمَولايَ الرَئيسِ وَلَيسَ مِن
شَرَفِdignity الرِئاسَةِthe presidency أَنthat أَراكَI see you وَكيلاa deputy
شَرَفِ الرِئاسَةِ أَن أَراكَ وَكيلا
Welcome, my lord President; it ill befits
Greetings, my Lord and Master - though for me
The dignity of the presidency that I should see you as a deputy.
No glory attends that I should serve as deputy
فَاِطرَحso cast aside مَعاذيرَexcuses السُكوتِsilence وَقُلand tell لَناto us
فَاِطرَح مَعاذيرَ السُكوتِ وَقُل لَنا
هَلّاwhy have you not وَجَدتَyou found إِلىto الكَلامِspeech سَبيلاa way
هَلّا وَجَدتَ إِلى الكَلامِ سَبيلا
So cast aside excuses for silence, and tell us:
So cast aside the excuses of your silence
Why have you not found a way to speak?
Can you not find the way to speak?
وَاِضرِبand strike عَلىupon الوَتَرِthe string الَّذيwhich اِهتَزَّتswayed لَهُto it
وَاِضرِب عَلى الوَتَرِ الَّذي اِهتَزَّت لَهُ
أَعطافُناour sides زَمَناًfor a time وَغَنِّand sing النيلاthe Nile
أَعطافُنا زَمَناً وَغَنِّ النيلا
And pluck the string that set swaying
Strum the chord that once our hearts echoed to
Our bodies for a time, and sing of the Nile.
Sing again the Nile song
وَاِردُدand restore عَلىto مُلكِthe kingdom القَريضِverse جَمالَهُits beauty
وَاِردُد عَلى مُلكِ القَريضِ جَمالَهُ
تَصنَعyou will do بِصاحِبِكَfor your companion القَديمِold جَميلاa kindness
تَصنَع بِصاحِبِكَ القَديمِ جَميلا
And restore to the kingdom of verse its beauty;
Repeat the beauty of your poems' reign
You will do your old companion a kindness.
Do a kindness to your lifelong friend
مازالَhe kept يَرجوhoping أَنthat يُقالَbe pardoned عِثارُهُhis stumble
مازالَ يَرجو أَن يُقالَ عِثارُهُ
حَتّىuntil أَقالَdismissed اللَهُGod إِسماعيلاIsmail
حَتّى أَقالَ اللَهُ إِسماعيلا
He kept hoping his stumble would be pardoned,
He still hopes it will be said he stumbled
Until God dismissed Ismail.
Till God should lay Ishmael low
Sol 6.1